Brick or block cutter



Sept. 29, 1925.

A P STEELE BRICK 0R BLOCK CUTTER Filed Sept. 17, 1924 WITNESSES A TTORNEYS Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXIS PRESTON STEELE, OF STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

BRICK O'R BLOCK CUTTER.

Application filed September 17, 1924. Serial No. 738,273.

pose for cutting bricks from a solid bar' of clay and cutting the bricks to any desired thickness.

The known form of machine to which my invention particularly relates embodies a reel lengthwise of which extend angle bars disposed about the axis of the reel, and in practice usually four of such angle bars are employed. The angle bars are equipped with springs and to said springs the outer ends of piano wires are attached, the inner ends of the wires being attached to a ring turning about the shaft of the reel. The angle bars referred to may have twenty wires, more or less, attached thereto for cutting a large number of bricks simultaneously from the bar of clay. The springs referred to are bowed springs and in order to facilitate the attachment of a wire to a spring, the spring is stressed and flexed in a direction toward the axis of the reel and the flexed end of the spring has movement in a slot in the angle bar, the spring being pressed toward the inner end of the slot for the convenient engagement of the loop of the wire with an end of the spring. In practice it is found that the clearance permitted the spring in the slot of the angle bar in flexing the same for the attachment of the wire allows an excessive space in subsequent operations and proves objectionable in im-v portant particulars. For example, when the wires cut through hard or rough ground clay or shale, the wires are flexed to a material extent and thereby flex the spring to a proportionate degree as regards the movement of the spring in the angle bar. The consequence is that near the finish of the cut the wire jumps through the clay bar and the reaction of the spring occurs with a snap. The result is that breakage of the Wires not infrequently occurs. Furthermore,

uponthe breaking of a wire the sudden liberation of the spring causes it to rebound to the full extent of the clearance permitted the spring in the slot of the angle bar so that the liberated spring strikes the angle bar at the end of the slot with great force, thus causing breakage of the end of the spring. 1 l

The prime object of my invention is to m nimize-or eliminate the breakage of the wires and the breakage of the springs in the reel upon the rebound of the springs as referred to.

The above object is attained by providing means of a character to permit the complete fiexure of the spring in stressing to facilitate the connection of a wire therewith but which means will function to limit the rebound of the spring.

The nature of my invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will clearly appear as the description proceeds. Reference is to be had to the accompanymg drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention. r

Figure l is a transverse vertical section largely diagrammatic showing the main features of the reel with its angle bars and spring, the springs being equipped with devices embodying my invention and shown in side elevation;

Figure 2 is anelevation on an enlarged scale of one of the springs and a fragment of the angle bar to which the spring is secured; I

Figure 3 is Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view showing the angle bar in cross section and a spring in elevation, together with a tool usually employed to stress the spring and flex the same for the attachment of the wire.

In the illustrated example of my invention, the numeral 10 designates the usual reel of the machine to which the invention relates, said reel turning about a shaft 11. The numeral 12 indicates the ring on the shaft formed with arms 13 beneath which the piano wires 24 pass to be se'curedto the ring at points thereabout as at 15. The

outer ends of the springs are attached to a section on the line 3-3 of bowed springs 16 secured at one end to the angle bars 17 by bolts 18. The numeral 19 indicates the usual slots in the other flange of the angle bar through which one end of each spring 16 passes, said end of each spring being secured to the outer end of a wire 14, the wire at the outer end being in loopedform and the end of the-spring receiving the wire having a lug 2.0 and a notch 21, whereby the loop of the wire is securely engaged with thespring In accordance with my invention I pro vide on thespring 161a bloclr22 which is freeto. move-.ina. slotw23nin that-end ot' the springlfi to which the wire. is to be attached.= A bolt 24 isscrewed-into the block.

22-and aflange 25 thereon bridgesthe block 22 ,toi retainthe block in: position while ,permitting longitudinal movement. thereof in said'slot.

The blocks 22 will "thus, be. carried about the axis ,of'the. reelilOcwiththe turning ofsaid reel, there being awp-lurality, of the. angle. bars. 17,-,usually four. in number, hav- 25 ing each its equipment of springs 16 and the blocksare free tomove bytheir own gravity alternately towardthe opposite ands otthe slot. Atithefrontoif the reel which isthe left .of; Figure 1, the angle bars 17 will bring- 14, after, securingtheinner end :ot the wire As the reelcontmues to at 15 to ring 12. revolve and :passes overthetop to the opposite. sideor right=hand side-of the reel,

shown iniFigure 1, it will be seen that the blockshown inmconnection with the spring I 16 has, now dropped, toward the fre end of the spring, that is to say, to the out r end.

otthe-slot 23.. At this, time, the-block? 22 extends through. or atleast. into the slot 19.

Consequently, it will be seenthat if thewire 14 shown at the right of Figure 1 which is i approaching the. bar, A, of clay, disposed within the reel 10 on. a bed G should find undue resistance, owing to the ingredients ordensity of thebar A; the fiexure ofthe: .wirei 14 under the. resistance is limited because, the b1o ck,,22 limits themovement of the flexed spring arm in theslotlQ. consequence isthat, upon the rebound of the spring afterthe wire 14. cuts through the bar A the. spring: will have but alimited clearance for. reaction and it will therefore mini.-

mize or wholly prevent the rebound otthe springfrom snappingithe wire 14 or breaking the. spring byxundue impactagainst the angle bar 17.,atftheouterend otslot 19..

Following the.. passing. ota wi re 14 through.

The

the clay bar A, the spring will pass again to a position (as at the left of Figure 1) where the block 22 will gravitate to a position below the slot 19 so that any wire may bereadily attached to the spring, by leaving the spring free to flex to the full extent of the slot 19.

The numeral 26' indicates the friction rollers which center and support the reel 10, said rollers being on a fixed spider 27 rigid with the shaft- The letter B indicates a bowed tool to be applied to the machine at the spring 16 saiddevice havingalever b'to compress the spring 16 for the connecting, of the cutting wire 14.,

I I would state in conclusion that while the illustratrtd example constitutes apractical embodiment of my invention,I-donot limit myself strictly to the exact details-herein.

illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be. considerably varied WlthOlIt; departure from the spirit :of thein-ventionas defined in the appended claims.

Having thus describednay. invention, I.

claim:

1. In acutter otthe classdescribed employing a reel having cutter wires and .bars

disposed about the reel and provided with springs for tensioning the cutter wires: ,a blockon. thatarm. otcach spring to which aiwire is attached, the barscarryingthe springs having slots affording clearancecfor themovement otan arm of each spring, and. said .blocks; each adapted: to gravitationally.

assume a position. at a. slot of the angle bar orxaposition awaytrom! said slotso. that in one position ot'each' block said spring arm may-have movementto thefull extent of a slot and in anotherposition, ot the block the movement ofthe spring in said slot willbe limited.

2.. Acutter. of thecla-ss. described employinga reel and having springs disposed about thelreeland connected with said wires to tension the same,:as well as means affording:

clearance. for limited. movement of the springs in flexing theisame. for the attachment of the wires :..movably mounted ,means adapted to ice-positioned to offer restriction in theflexureofthesprings or positioned to afford aless restricted. movement of the springs.

3.: Aacutter of the class describedemploying areel and having springs disposed about the. reel and connected with said wires to tension the sameyaswell as meansaffording. clearance. for. limited: movement. of. the.

springs in rflexingthesame for the attachment of the wires: and means, to variably permitfiexure ot the, springs following the tensioning of the cutter wires:

4. As anarticle of manufacture, a spring to tension the cutter-wires of brick cutters, said springadaptedat.one-end. to be Secured to a support and presenting a free arm, cutters, said spring adapted at one end to means affording a limited movement of said be secured to a support and presenting a spring arm, and means carried by said free arm at the opposite end, and a block 10 spring and adapted to assume positions perfree to gravitationally slide on said spring 5 mitting a greater or less stressing of the arm.

sprin 5. K spring to tension the Wires of brick ALEXIS PRESTON STEELEL 

